Auburn football fans are starting to get a little antsy. When are the Tigers going to hire a new coach?More >>

Auburn football fans are starting to get a little antsy. When are the Tigers going to hire a new coach?More >>

AUBURN, AL (WTVM) -

Gus Malzahn, who served as Auburn's offensive coordinator from 2009-11, has been named the program's head football coach, Director of Athletics Jay Jacobs announced Tuesday in a press release from Auburn University.

Malzahn, who won the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach in 2010 while helping the Tigers to the BCS National Championship, spent the past season as the head coach at Arkansas State, where he led the program to the Sun Belt Conference title.

Malzahn was offensive coordinator on Auburn's 14-0 BCS National Championship team in 2010 and coached three seasons under Chizik before being named head coach at Arkansas State in December 2011.

Known for his innovative offensive style, Malzahn has made a profound impact during each of his coaching stops at the collegiate level at Arkansas State, Auburn, Tulsa and Arkansas.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to become the head football coach at Auburn University. It's an outstanding institution with a storied football program that I had the pleasure of experiencing first-hand for three years," Malzahn said. "I deeply appreciate the confidence that Dr. Gogue, Jay Jacobs and the search committee had in my ability to turn this program around and to bring Auburn back to national prominence. This is a homecoming for me and I look forward to being reunited with the Auburn family."

Other names that churned in the rumor mill included Alabama's defensive coordinator Kirby Smart and former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino, among others.

"It's a pleasure to welcome Gus back to Auburn, this time as our head football coach," Auburn University President Jay Gogue said. "We owe the search committee our gratitude for their time, expertise and dedication to Auburn. They are each distinguished graduates of this great institution and I'm grateful for their ongoing commitment. I appreciate them working so closely with Jay Jacobs as a team—a very good team."

A native of Fort Smith, Ark., Malzahn becomes the 26th head football coach in the program's history.

"We are tremendously excited that Gus Malzahn will be our next head football coach," Director of Athletics Jay Jacobs said. "Coach Malzahn was the clear unanimous choice of our search committee, and I am pleased that Dr. Gogue has accepted our recommendation. This is a great day for Auburn football and Auburn University."

We will continue following this story and will have the latest information on Auburn's search as it becomes available.

Copyright 2012 WTVM. All rights reserved. The Associated Press and John Shryock of WSFA contributed to this report.